Carton for holding eggs



April 1952 L. w. SCHMIRLER CARTON FOR HOLDING EGGS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 22, 1949 0 T m V W.

Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTON FOR HOLDING EGGS Leona W. Schmirler, Wausau, Wis.

Application July 22, 1949, Serial No. 106,281

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) My invention relates to cartons or boxes for holding eggs.

An important object of the invention is to provide a carton having a cover provided with egg attaching means so that the eggs are secured to the cover when the cover is opened and the eggs will be held in the open position against accidental displacement to prevent rolling or the like and may be separated from the cover for use.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a carton or box embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a front side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a rear side elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the carton, with one top section torn from the top and moved to the opened position,

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 66 of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a transverse section through the carton shown in Figure 4, with the top section partly opened and folded back,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a carton showing a modification of the invention, the top section being opened,

Figure 9 is a similar view of a further modification of the carton,

Figure 10 is a plan view of a still further modification of the carton,

Figure 11 is a vertical section taken on line I I-l I of Figure 8,

Figure 12 is a vertical section taken on line I2I2 of Figure 9, and

Figure 13 is a vertical section taken on line l'3-l3 of Figure 10.

My improved carton or box is formed of cardboard or the like and includes a bottom IS, a front side IS, a rear side l1, ends l8, and top [9. The top I9 is integral with the rear side l1 and is foldable upon a longitudinal folding line 20. The top I9 is provided at its free longitudinal edge with a flap or tongue 2| which may be inserted inwardly of and adjacent to the front side iii. The top or cover I9 is held in the closed position by a paper seal 22, secured to the adjacent parts by suitable adhesive.

The top or cover I9 is provided with spaced transverse tear lines 23, formed by slits or perforations, and these tear lines divide the top into top sections 24, arranged over the egg receivmg compartments or cells 25, within the body portion of the carton, and which are formed by the usual partitions. The tear lines 23 extend to the flap or tongue 2|, but do not extend into this flap or tongue, and the top sections 24 are foldable upon the flap or tongue 2!, upon a foldin line 25'. The transverse tear lines 23*lead to the ends of curved longitudinally extending tear lines 26, which are generally U-shaped and formed in the rear side II. The top I!) has a longitudinal fold line 21, at the centers of the top sections 24. The tear lines 26 may be formed of slits or perforations.

In connection with the first form of the invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, each top section 24 is provided upon its inner face, when the top section is closed, with egg holding strips 28. These strips or tapes have adhesive material applied to both faces thereof so that one face of the strips is secured to the top section while the opposite faces are adapted to be secured to the eggs held within the compartments. The adhesive used is one which will not readily dry as is employed in connection with the ordinary scotch tape. The strips 28 correspond in number and arrangement to the compartments of the carton.

In Figures 8 and 11, a modification of the invention is shown. In these figures, a single continuous strip or tape 29 is provided, having the adhesive upon opposite faces thereof so that one face of the strip is secured to the top section 24 and its opposite face is adapted to be secured to the eggs. The strip 29 extends over two compartments 25. All other parts of the device remain identical with those shown and described in connection with the first form of the invention.

In Figures 9 and 12, a further modification of the invention is shown. In these figures,'the top section 24 is provided with slits 3|] to receive a strip or tape 3|, having adhesive material applied to its inner face only, and the ends of the strip or tape 3| extend through the slits 39 to the outer face of the top section 24 and are attached thereto by the adhesive upon the inner face of the strip 3|. All other parts of the device remain identical with the first form of the invention.

In Figures 10 and 13, I have shown a further modification of the invention, wherein the top section 24,is provided with pairs of slits 32 for receiving the ends of strips or tapes 33 having adhesive material applied to its inner face only. The ends of each strip 33 are passed through the slits 32 to the exterior of the top section 24 and are secured thereto by the adhesive upon the inner face of thestrip or tape 33.

It is thus seen that each top section 24 has a strip or tape or strips or tapes secured to its inner face and these strips or tapes have adhesive material applied to the inner faces thereof to engage with the eggs held within the compartments 25. The eggs are arranged within the compartments 25 upon their sides, so that the adhesive carrying strip or strips will engage with the sides of the eggs, having the minimum curvature. The top being formed of cardboard is flexible and by pressing the top toward the eggs, the strip or strips will adhere to the eggs throughout the major portion of the length of the eggs.

When the carton is filled with the eggs and arranged upon their sides, and the top I9 is sealed in the closed position, the eggs have their sides attached to the adhesive strips or tapes. If it only desired to remove one egg, the selected top section is torn along the curved line 26, and along the lines 23 to the folding line 21. The separated portion of the top section 24 is now swung upwardly and is superposed upon the remaining portion of the top section, and the egg remains attached to the adhesive strip 28, as clearly shown in Figure 7. The egg cannot be accidentally displaced or roll, and can be separated from the adhesive strip when desired. Instead of folding back a, portion of the top section 24, the top section may be torn throughout the entire length at the line 23, and the complete top section then swung to the opened inverted position, Figure 6, bringing two eggs to the opened position. These eggs remain attached to the adhesive strips 28 and may be separated from the same, when desired. In a similar manner, each individual top section 24 may be torn along its tear line and swung to the opened position, or two or more of the top sections may remain connected and the outer top sections torn from the top and swung to the opened position. The top sections are separated from the rear side I! but-remain secured to the tongue or flap 2 I, upon which they are swung or folded.

I have found in practice that the eggs are not always arranged on their sides within the cartons. Some cartons are designed so that the eggs will assume upright positions with either end extending upwardly to contact the cover. When the eggs are arranged on end within the cartons, I have found that the adhesive strips or tapes will adhere to the eggs in the same manner that they adhere when the eggs are arranged upon their sides, and good results may be obtained regardless of the position of the egg Within its compartment. I have further found that it is not necessary to press the cover of the carton into contact with the e g, as described, since the adhesive strips will tend to automatically adhere to the eggs as soon as the cover is swung to its closed position.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A carton for holding eggs comprising an elongated hollow rectangular body having an opentom. partitions secured longitudinally and at spaced intervals transversely within said body subdividing the latter into a plurality of pairs of side-by-side compartments for the support therein of eggs, a cap bridging the open top of said body and secured thereto, said cap being provided with spaced transversely and longitudinally extending tear lines subdividing said cap into a removable closure overlying each of said pairs of side-by-side compartments, each of said re- -movable closures being provided with a. tear line subdividing each removable closure into a section overlying each compartment of the adjacent one of said pairs of side-by-side compartments, and adhesive means embodying a strip having one face mounted on the inner face of each removable closure and secured thereto and having the other face provided with an adhesive for engagement with the adjacent eggs to secure the latter to said removable closure, said means comprising a pair of spaced strips each having one face provided with adhesive and each having the other face abutting against the inner face of the adjacent section of said removable closure, each section of said removable closure being provided with a pair of spaced slots for the extension therethrough of the ends of the adjacent one of said strips for securing the adhesive-provided face of each strip to the outer faces of said sections.

2. A carton for holding eggs comprising an elongated hollow rectangular body having an open top, partitions secured longitudinally and at spaced intervals transversely within said body subdividing the latter into a plurality of pairs of side-by-side compartments for the support therein of eggs, a cap bridging the open top of said body and secured thereto, said cap being provided with spaced transversely and longitudinally extending tear lines subdividing said cap into a removable closure overlying each of said pairs of side-by-side compartments, each of said removable closures being provided with a tear line subdividing each removable closure into a section overlying each compartment of the adjacent one of said pairs of side-by-side compartments, and adhesive means mounted on the inner face of each removable closure and secured thereto for engagement with the adjacent eggs to secure the latter to said removable closure. said means comprising a strip having one face provided with an adhesive and having the other face abutting against the inner face of said removable closure, said removable closure being provided with a pair of spaced slots for the extension therethrough of the ends of said strips for securing the adhesive-provided face of the latter to the outer face of said closure.

LEONA W. SCHMIRLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,224,996 Baldwin May 8, 1917 1,876,120 Wilson Sept. 6, 1932 2,138,019 Benoit Nov. 29, 1938 2,341,794 Kliwer Feb. 15, 1944 2,361,580 Waring Oct. 31, 1944 

